How previous connections helped Rutgers land impact transfer at key position

Having a previous connection to a prospect is a major factor for Rutgers as it navigates the transfer portal. Head coach Greg Schiano claims he can “watch tape and tell if a kid can play” with the snap of a finger, but knowing the kind of person the Scarlet Knights would be pursuing is a bit more nuanced. They lean on any potential lead they can, from one of their 10 position coaches to their batch of graduate assistants, quality control coaches and support staff, to see if anyone knows the player, their coach or anyone else connected to them. When it came to Maine transfer Shawn Bowman, Rutgers had plenty of relationships to go off of. Second-year defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak was the head coach who recruited him to Maine. Second-year linebackers coach Corey Hetherman, who served as Harasymiak’s defensive coordinator at the time, played a part in bringing Bowman to Maine as well. One of the Scarlet Knights’ quality control coaches was on staff with the Black Bears at the time as well, Schiano said, while one of their current graduate assistants was a teammate of Bowman’s in Orono. So when the 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end entered the transfer portal last week, it was not much of a stretch to imagine Rutgers taking an immediate interest. Not only were they familiar with Bowman, but they desperately needed an upgrade at his position. It made for a quick recruitment: he entered the portal on Wednesday, took an official visit to Piscataway over the weekend and committed to Schiano and company before leaving campus, providing Rutgers with a significant boost ahead of the 2023 season. “That’s what we do best in the transfer portal,” Schiano said. “Whether that’s a connection with one of our coaches, just somehow, someway, we know them, we know their character, we know what they are about.” Bowman seems to be about making plays. Bowman caught 31 passes for 377 receiving yards and five touchdowns — 12.2 yards gained per reception — last fall, building on a strong 2021 season where he caught 22 passes for 261 yards (11.9 yards per catch) and four scores. Among FCS tight ends who were targeted at least 30 times last season, Bowman had the fifth-highest overall grade (77.4) and the fourth-highest receiving grade (80.9), per ProFootballFocus, A pair of telling stats on how much the Scarlet Knights could use him: - Bowman scored more touchdowns in eight games last season (five) than every Rutgers tight end combined in 37 games across the last three seasons since Schiano’s return (four). - Bowman had more receiving yards across 31 catches in eight games last season (377) than every Rutgers tight end combined in 12 games last season (326). Rutgers returns some experience at the position in fifth-year senior Johnny Langan (31 catches for 296 yards and one touchdown last season) and redshirt sophomore Victor Konopka, who missed the final nine games of the year with injury, but the depth behind the duo is young and unproven. The Scarlet Knights needed more experience and more proven talent at the position, all of which Bowman provides in droves. More importantly, in Schiano’s view, he adds another positive influence off the field. “When you take a guy in the portal, he better be a cultural fit,” Schiano said. “You’re taking him because he can make plays, but if he’s not a cultural fit, he can lead your team in the wrong direction if you’re not careful. Again, I think Shawn’s a tremendous fit, I think he’s going to fit in the offense but I also think he’s going to fit in the locker room and the tight end room. That’s what excites me the most.”